Not including last year, how bad is the heat in July in Florence and Rome? I am a teacher and so must travel at peak times. I've enjoyed reading posts from people who have stayed out in the countryside and take day trips into Florence. Are there similar spots outside of Rome, or would that not be practical for 4-5 days of sightseeing there? If a hotel says it has a/c does it really work as well as we expect here? I do hate the heat, but am willing to put up with it for our 25th anniversary trip.
We planned our last European vacation largely from advise on this forum and continue to love reading advise from the experts!
Thanks-
Carla

The heat can be brutal, especially midday. AC is not American. Nowhere near as cold.

We spent the month of August in Florence in a non-air conditioned apartment. Brutal. The last couple of nights we stayed in a well known (air-conditioned) hotel. We mentioned to the front desk that during the night the air conditioner frosted up and stopped working. They looked at us and said, "Did you run it all night?" We said we did. They said, "Then that's why it happened." When you travel, you have to go with the flow. Yes, it's going to be hot, hot, hot. Then go out in the morning and evening. Is the AC iffy, yes. At least most hotels have it. If you rent a house, there could be a good chance it won't have AC. My family has a hotel in southern Italy and they have no AC.

I was in Italy and Greece in August one year. The rental car did not have AC. It was so hot, I stripped down to my undies. However, all the hotels had AC and we didn't have any problems with it. If July is the only time I could go, then I would definitely go!

It's HOT. And A/C isn't what it is in the USA, if you can even find it. Will it ruin your trip? Not if you can find it in yourself to figure that for centuries there wasn't any A/C anywhere in the world. Get yourself one of those travel fans and go for it! Life is too short to limit travel to places where there is A/C.

Another question then... With the Olympics in Athens, what are travel predictions for Italy next summer? Will some "stop by" on their way to Greece, or will it perhaps be less croweded? Don't worry- I'm going - but just want to be prepared for what we'll find. The travel fan is a great idea.

Hi Carlata,

Yes, it will be hot, but if you adopt Italian habits, you can minimize the discomfort.

Start your sightseeing very early - go to the Central Market in Florence about 8:00 AM when they are still arranging the stalls.

Don't go walking about between noon and 3:00. Have a long lunch and go shopping in large stores with AC. Many museums air climate controlled.

Use the late PM and evenings for walking around. The passageta (sp?) starts around 5:00.

Carlata - You could certainly stay in the hills outside Rome (- the Pope does
It's several degrees cooler there.

CASTEL GANDOLFO makes a good base with lovely lake views. The train ride into Rome is about 35 mins.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Caldo Arrabiata! The Italians call it ANGRY HOT! That almost describes it! Go anyway, but brace yourself. We went this summer and it was the worst heatwave ever. We will try to visit the relatives in the spring from now on.

HI,

I have been to Italy several times in July. We rent a car so I am not sure if the commuter trains are air conditioned. This past summer we were in France and took the train from Paris to Monet's Garden. The train did not have A/C. It was not comfortable, but doable because it was not crowded. Threrfore unless the trains have A/C I would stay in Rome at an A/C hotel for forgo the train. Get up early, go very slowly, take a lot of breaks and it is OK. We usually make sure we have a few days by the sea before we return home. Have fun.

I've been to Rome twice in July (I'm also a teacher). It is always hot in the summer. Last summer was horrible. I did have great A/C in my hotel - Della Torre Argentina. Had to turn it down every night, because it was too cold. Just go on you trip & pace yourself. You can't do mad amounts of sightseeing when it is 104 degrees in the shade, so have reasonable expectations for an itinerary based on very uncomfortable weather.

To tag along on this question, is it just as hot all throughout July or just at one end of it, and is August the same? I'm also trying to go to southern Italy during the school summer holidays, but I was thinking end of June, early July, if that might be better.

In L.A., where I'm from, it is much cooler at the beginning of July than at the end, and even hotter in August. Don't know if whether is southern Italy flows to a crescendo like that or if it just starts and ends with a bang! Please help!

Oops. "whether is" should be "weather in"

July in Florence and Rome,..., well, millions of people do it, so why wouldn't you?
Organise your day, get up early and do your visiting program before 1 pm, then go for a nice lunch in the shadow and eventually a siesta till 4 or 5 pm. At 6 pm, your second part of the day starts.

Daytrips into Florence...
Florence and Rome are of a different scale. I don't see how it could be practical for Rome.
- The Lazio countryside (around Rome) is different from the tuscan countryside. It didn't have the same mediaval past giving birth to small town as Pisa, Siena, San Gimigniano,...
- There is no sense staying in a hotel somewhere in the far-off suburbs to commute during 4-5 days to the city center. The nicest little town closeby, in my opinion, would be Orvieto, at about 1h20 by train... There is no pleasure to visit Rome that way.

Surfergirl:

It is HOT all summer. I have been to Italy in June, July, and August. Even if it is cooler during a certain part of a certain month, it will still be 90 degrees. My friend lives in Rome, and he was so miserable last summer, he spent 5 weeks in the States. Just plan on being hot, be prepared, and be realistic about how much you can fit in to an itinerary when your energy is zapped from the heat.

Surfer Girl - I too am originally from L.A. so you will understand when I say that summer in Italy makes summer in Encino seem not so bad!

I meant to say Florence, not Italy. Florence is a valley so you will understand what I mean.

Thanks. I get the Encino reference! Is it a dry I can live with it kind of heat or a humid, sticky, walk outside and you're dripping wet kind of heat?

When you step out of the shower it feels like you never quite get dried off because you start to perspire immediately, but have a great time!

Italy is no worse than the South and some parts are much better regarding the heat. I always think it cools off a bit quicker at night and the humidity does not seem as bad.

Think positive, get an early start in the morning, wear the right clothes (don't be afraid to wear shorts), drink plenty of water and always walk on the shady side of the street.